The Top American Women’s Water Polo Players of the NCAA Era (Part III: No. 10-No. 1)

By Jeff Moulton – Guest Editorial

In the third and final installment of this three-part series, water polo historian Jeff Moulton discusses the individuals he has ranked Nos. 1 to 10 in his unofficial list of the top 25 American women’s water polo players of the NCAA era.  Parts I and II are linked below. Part I includes an explanation of the criteria Moulton used to make his selections.

Part I (No. 21-No. 25)
Part II (No. 20-No. 11)

10. Kelly Rulon – attacker, University of San Diego High School and UCLA (4x NCAA champion, 4x All-American, 3x 1st team All-American, 1x Cutino Award winner, 2x ACWPC player of the year, 2x Olympian, 1x gold medalist, 1x bronze medalist, 1x FINA world champion, Hall of Fame).

Rulon is UCLA’s second all-time leading scorer with 237 goals.  She played professionally in Italy.  Doug Peabody, Rulon’s coach at the San Diego Shores Water Polo Club, told me that Rulon “had zero ego.  She cared as much or more about the team and common goals than anyone.”  Adam Krikorian, Rulon’s coach at UCLA and on the 2012 Olympic team, speaking with a reporter from The Daily Bruin in 2007:  “Kelly is a phenomenal player.  One of the greatest to ever play here.  The great thing about her is, as many goals as she scores, the most important thing is how the team does, and that’s (how she wants to be known).”  Krikorian speaking with a reporter from The Voice of San Diego in 2007:   “(Kelly’s) brilliant in every facet of the game, but what separates her from other great players is her intelligence and understanding of the game.  She has great vision — the ability to see the entire pool — the same as a point guard in basketball or a running back in football.”

9. Kiley Neushul – attacker, Dos Pueblos High School and Stanford (3x NCAA champion, 4x All-American, 3x 1st team All-American, 2x Cutino Award winner, 1x ACWPC player of the year, 1x Olympian, 1x gold medalist, 3x FINA world champion, Hall of Fame).

Photo Courtesy: Pac 12

Neushul scored 222 goals during her four years at Stanford.  She played professionally for CN Sabadell in Barcelona, winning one European League championship and three Spanish League championships.  Dos Pueblos High School coach Chris Parrish speaking with a reporter from The Santa Barbara Independent in 2011:  “(Kiley is) the fiercest competitor I’ve ever coached, boys or girls.  She has that ‘I refuse to lose’ mentality.  She sometimes passes up shots she should be taking.  She doesn’t want people to perceive her as a selfish player.  But when a game has to be taken, when we need a goal to tie, a goal to win—get her the ball.  You rarely see someone of her caliber in any sport.  Her pedigree and experience are greater than anybody’s in high school.  Physically, she’s faster and stronger than they are.  She’s not bigger but she plays like the biggest (person) in the pool.”  Maggie Steffens, Neushul’s teammate at Stanford and on the 2016 Olympic team, speaking with a reporter from The Santa Barbara Independent in 2018:  “Kiley is easily one of the best players in the world; she has such an intelligent mind.  She’s reading the game so much faster than anyone in the water, a step ahead of everyone else.”  Stanford coach John Tanner speaking with a reporter from Noozhawk in 2024 after Neushul was inducted into the Water Polo Hall of Fame:  “I saw it countless times with club, high school and our college team where we’d get to the end of the season and Kiley would explode and have her highest-producing games turn to goal scoring.  It was something she could have done the whole season but she was mindful of managing the growth of the team the entire season.”  After Neushul announced her retirement from water polo before the 2021 Olympics, senior national team coach Adam Krikorian was asked how he would replace her.  He said:  “It’s impossible.  She’s one of the best players ever to play the game, and we don’t have anyone like her.”

8. Aria Fischer – center, Laguna Beach High School and Stanford (3x NCAA champion, 4x All-American, 3x 1st team All-American, 1x Cutino Award winner, 1x ACWPC player of the year, 2x Olympian, 2x gold medalist, 2x FINA world champion).

Fischer played in the 2016 Olympics at 17, before her senior year at Laguna Beach High School.  She scored 226 goals during her four years at Stanford.  Now that her playing career is over, she will almost certainly be inducted into the Hall of Fame.  Stanford coach John Tanner speaking about Aria and Mackenzie Fischer in May 2022 after they announced their retirement from the senior national team:  “They’re both complete, all-around amazing players.  They have the technical skills to play anywhere in the pool, play any position, and have the confidence to do that.”  Adam Krikorian, Fischer’s coach on the 2016 and 2021 Olympic teams, speaking with USA Water Polo in May 2025:  “What goes untold about Aria’s journey is just how much she immersed herself into the process of improvement.  Not just the time and effort she put in, but the thought and intention in which she plotted out her path.  Her rise from the youngest member on the 2016 Team to becoming one of the most dominant centers to play the game, was truly remarkable.  The fiercest of competitors, she held each one of us to a competitive standard that kept us hungry and always striving for perfection.”

7. Maddie Musselman Woepse – attacker, Corona del Mar High School and UCLA (4x 1st team All-American, 3x Olympian, 2x gold medalist, 5x FINA world champion).

Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Musselman, an exceptional swimmer, is UCLA’s all-time leading scorer with 252 goals and has scored 43 goals in the Olympics.  She was the most valuable player of the women’s water polo tournament in the 2021 Olympics.  Newport Harbort High School coach Ross Sinclair, Musselman’s coach at Corona del Mar High School for two years, speaking with a reporter from The Los Angeles Times in 2016:  “Maddie’s the best natural athlete that I’ve ever seen, that I’ve ever coached, that I’ve ever played with.  I think she (would have been) an Olympian in multiple sports, if she started playing that sport at an early level.  And I don’t think she’s anywhere near her peak.”  Adam Krikorian, Musselman’s coach on the 2016, 2021, and 2024 Olympic teams, speaking with a reporter after Musselman was named the World Aquatics female athlete of the year in 2022:  “Deservedly so.  I thought she was clearly the best player in the world.  Sometimes with awards you aren’t sure if they are going to the right person.  Our team won the gold, we were the best team, she was the best player.  I think she is just scratching the surface, to be honest, and I am excited to see what happens going forward.”  I asked Adam Wright, Musselman’s coach at UCLA, what make her a special player.  His response:  “Maddie is truly a special player.  If you watch the way she gracefully and effortlessly moves through the water with or without the ball you will quickly realize she is one of the special ones.  Maddie simply can cover more distance in the water than most as her fundamental movements are so incredible.  This does not happen by chance or luck it simply happens by hard work.  Maddie’s work ethic is second to none.  She leads by example.  Maddie’s ability to create advantages in the counter attack is truly special.  While everyone knows Maddie as a prolific scorer what I loved most about Maddie was her defensive abilities.  Maddie loved the challenge of defending the other teams’ best players.  My hope is that we see Maddie back in the pool for one more go with team USA.”  If Musselman continues playing, she is likely to play for the United States in the 2028 Olympics.  However, she deserves a spot on my list even if she doesn’t play another game.  Once Musselman’s playing career is over, she will almost certainly be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

6. Makenzie Fischer – attacker/center defender, Laguna Beach High School and Stanford (3x NCAA champion, 4x All-American, 3x 1st team All-American, 2x Cutino Award winner, 2x ACWPC player of the year, 2x Olympian, 2x gold medalist, 3x FINA world champion).

Fischer is Stanford’s all-time leading scorer with 288 goals and scored 20 goals in the Olympics.  Now that her playing career is over, she will almost certainly be inducted into the Hall of Fame.  Former Michigan coach Marcelo Leonardi speaking with a reporter from SwimSwam magazine in 2019:  “Back in 2014 when Mackenzie was a high school player, she was used primarily as a defensive player that had the ability to score and would guard at 2-meters.  At Youth Worlds, we used her as a perimeter defender, so if she scored goals that was a plus.  But what she is doing this year, I am not surprised.  She is incredible.  She is one of the best field players in the country.  I would also argue that she is the best two-way field player in the country.  Her versatility, her length, her athleticism and her polo IQ put her at a whole different level.  You have your hands full with Makenzie, not only on the perimeter – which she can play on both sides of the pool – but she can defend at the highest level and score at the highest level.  She is not only matching up with other team’s elite perimeter players, but she picks them apart.  She counters, she creates on the counter attack, she finishes in zones, she can beat people one on one to create other advantages and in 6-on-5, she just picks you apart.”  Adam Krikorian, Fischer’s coach on the 2016 and 2021 Olympics teams, speaking with USA Water Polo in May 2025:  “(Mackenzie’s) speed, length, versatility, and intelligence truly opened the door for our team to play the beautiful style of game that people across the globe were in awe of.  It’s no coincidence that her growth was directly correlated with the program’s rise to prominence.  Fish is one of the rare few that could change the outcome of a competition with her performance in ANY phase of the game.  Matching her world-class skills with savvy intuition helped to spark numerous dominating performances.”  Krikorian speaking about Mackenzie and Aria Fischer in May 2022 after they announced their retirement from the senior national team:  “They’re two of the all-time greats.  And they will go down as just that, as two of the best to ever play their positions, and two people who had a tremendous impact on our program.  They’ll forever be a part of a team that many would say is the best to ever play the game.”

5. Kami Craig – center, Santa Barbara High School and USC (1x NCAA champion, 4x All-American, 3x 1st team All-American, 2x Cutino Award winner, 1x ACWPC player of the year, 3x Olympian, 2x gold medalist, 1x silver medalist, 3x FINA world champion, Hall of Fame).

Craig played professionally for Olympiacos in Greece.  Guy Baker, Craig’s coach on the 2008 Olympic team, speaking with a reporter from The Los Angeles Times in 2005:  “Kami would be the prototype that you would look for at her position.  She’s lean and strong and she’s a tremendous athlete.”  Adam Krikorian, Craig’s coach on the 2012 and 2016 Olympic teams, speaking with USA Water Polo after Craig was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021:  “Kami’s a bad ass.  Tough, physical, so strong and explosive at the center position.  She’s one of the most consistent players I’ve ever had the opportunity to coach.”  More from Krikorian after Craig announced her retirement from the senior national team in December 2016:  “Kami will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, center to have ever played this game.  Her combination of strength, explosiveness, and skill were a nightmare for our opponents to deal with, not to mention for our very own defenders on a daily basis.  We knew we could always count on Kami.  Every game, every possession.  Her consistency provided us with some comfort and confidence to be able to play freely and was a byproduct of the professionalism she carried throughout her entire career, spanning a remarkable three separate quadrennials.  Behind the scenes, she worked hard to build relationships and make connections with and between people that helped us become the strongest TEAM in the world.  She held us all accountable, staff included, for doing things with a purpose, striving to be better daily, being more open and honest with each other, and quite simply, doing things the right way.”

4. Melissa Seidemann – center defender/center, College Park High School and Stanford (1x NCAA champion, 4x All-American, 2x 1st team All-American, 1x Cutino Award winner, 1x ACWPC player of the year, 3x Olympian, 3x gold medalist, 3x FINA world champion, Hall of Fame).

Seidemann is Stanford’s second all-time leading scorer with 239 goals.  She played professionally for CN Sabadell in Spain for two years.  Seidemann and Maggie Steffens are the only women to win three Olympic water polo gold medals.  Seidemann is one of the very few male or female water polo players to be among the best players in the world at two positions.  Stanford coach John Tanner speaking with a reporter from The Stanford Daily in 2013 about Seidemann’s performance during the 2012 Olympics:  “In the semifinal game against Australia, which was the one really close, intense game at the Olympics, she controlled the tempo of the overtime periods almost singlehandedly.”  Kiley Neushul, Seidemann’s teammate at Stanford and on the 2016 Olympic team, speaking with a reporter about Seidemann:  “She was an amazing player.  The backbone of our defense at Stanford and on the national team.”  Courtney Mathewson, Seidemann’s teammate on the 2016 and 2021 Olympic teams, speaking with USA Water Polo earlier this year after Seidemann was inducted into the Water Polo Hall of Fame:  “In the best way, she was a beast in the water.  All you had to do was get the ball to her and something good was going to happen.”  Adam Krikorian, Seidemann’s coach on the 2012, 2016, and 2021 Olympic teams, speaking with USA Water Polo after Seidemann announced her retirement from the senior national team in 2023:  “For more than a decade, Melissa played the toughest positions in the pool on the best team in the world.  Her combination of exquisite skill and unmatched strength at both the defender and center position will be impossible to replace.  Her versatility in the middle of the pool not only impacted those areas but also freed others up to maximize their strengths and helped put our team in the best position to have success.”

3. Brenda Villa – 5’4” attacker, Bell Gardens High School and three years at Stanford (1x NCAA champion, 3x All-American, 3x 1st team All-American, 1x Cutino Award winner, 1x ACWPC player of the year, 4x Olympian, 1x gold medalist, 2x silver medalist, 1x bronze medalist, 3x FINA world champion, Hall of Fame).

Photo Courtesy: Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE

Villa, once dubbed the “Wayne Gretzky of water polo” by Stanford coach John Tanner, scored 172 goals during her three years at Stanford.  She was the FINA player of the decade in the 2000s.  Villa and Heather Petri are the only women to win four Olympic medals in water polo.  Villa scored 31 goals in the Olympics.  She played professionally for Geymonat Orizzonte in Italy, winning two LEN Champions League titles.  Listed at 5’4”, Villa shows us that a “shorter” athlete can play at the highest levels of water polo.  I asked Hall of Fame coach Doug Peabody about Villa.  He said that Villa was “a phenomenal player at age 13 when she was playing club water polo against 13-year-old boys.”  Guy Baker, Villa’s coach on the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Olympic teams, told me that Villa was “a generational player.”  Stanford coach John Tanner speaking with a reporter from SFGATE in 2003:  “Brenda’s a wonderful goal scorer and a very strong, creative player, but she’s 5’4” in a sport dominated by 6-footers.  She’s fast but not overwhelmingly fast and quick but she doesn’t have a significant advantage in quickness.  And there’s no substitute for long arms in water polo, and her arms are not long.”  The reporter then asked Tanner why Villa was so good.  He replied:  “It’s because she has always had this incredible sense of the game, an almost unreal ability to anticipate what’s going to happen.  She puts herself in a position where the ball can find her.  She’s able to see the game from a low angle in the water and she also seems to have a feel for what’s going on as if she were standing above the play.  That’s extremely rare, a real gift.  She has perspective to the point where it looks as if she was born to play water polo.”  Tanner reminiscing about Villa after she was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018:  “Brenda is one of the most decorated and admired water polo athletes ever.  The thing that separates her from others is how much better she made everybody around her.”

2. Ashleigh Johnson – goalie, Ransom Everglades High School in Miami and Princeton (4x All-American, 1x 1st team All American, 1x Cutino Award winner, 3x Olympian, 2x gold medalist, 4x FINA world champion).

Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Johnson, considered by some to be the greatest female goalie of all time, has recorded 211 saves in the Olympics.  She played professionally for Ethnikos Piraeus and NC Vouliagmeni in Greece and Ekipe Orizzonte in Italy.  Luis Nicolao, Johnson’s coach at Princeton, speaking with a reporter from the Associated Press in 2016:  “Ashleigh’s a freak.  She’s just athletic.  I often joke she could probably start for our basketball team, track team, and swim team.  She just has that natural ability to succeed at anything she does.”  Nicolao speaking with a reporter after Johnson was inducted into the Collegiate Water Polo Association Hall of Fame in May 2025:  “Coaching Ashleigh Johnson was an absolute privilege.  She’s a once-in-a-lifetime player, and I was the lucky one who got to watch her greatness unfold every day.”  Adam Krikorian, Johnson’s coach on the 2016, 2021, and 2024 Olympic teams, speaking with an NPR reporter in July 2024:  “Ashleigh’s an incredible athlete.  She’s got great hand-eye coordination, great reflexes and reactions.  And then she’s fiercely competitive – fiercely.  You would never know it by her demeanor or by the huge smile on her face.  But to us, on the inside, we know how driven she is to be one of the best ever to do it.”  If Johnson continues playing, she is likely to play for the United States in the 2028 Olympics.  However, she deserves a spot on my list even if she doesn’t play another game.  Once Johnson’s playing career is over, she will almost certainly be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

1. Maggie Steffens – attacker/center defender, Monte Vista High School and Stanford (2x NCAA champion, 4x 1st team All-American, 2x ACWPC player of the year, 4x Olympian, 3x gold medalist, 5x FINA world champion).

Photo Courtesy: USA Water Polo

Steffens is considered by many to be the greatest women’s water polo player of all time.  She scored 229 goals during her four years at Stanford and is the leading scorer in women’s Olympic water polo history with 64 goals.  Steffens was named the most valuable player of the women’s water polo tournaments in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.  Steffens and Melissa Seidemann are the only women to win three Olympic water polo gold medals.  Steffens has played professionally in Hungary and Spain, winning two LEN Champions League titles with Spain’s CN Sabadell.  Steffens was a water polo child prodigy.  She started playing for Diablo Alliance Water Polo in Concord when she was 8.  Maureen O’Toole Purcell, Steffens coach at Diablo Alliance and a member of the Hall of Fame, told a reporter from The Seattle Times that Steffens’ skills were apparent right away:  “She had that ‘it’ factor.  I knew that she was going to be great.  You just knew it.”  Hall of Fame coach Guy Baker told me that he predicted Steffens would become the best player in the world after watching her play when she was 14.  Adam Krikorian, Steffens coach on the 2012, 2016, 2021, and 2024 Olympic teams, speaking with a reporter in 2012:  “I have seen Maggie play since she was 12.  I knew she was special at 12.  It was no surprise.  I knew from before, from watching her, before ever coaching her, that she was incredibly talented, she was coachable and she was tough as nails.  That was why I wanted her from the get-go.”  Krikorian speaking with a reporter after the United States won the gold medal in the 2012 Olympics:  “Just like the greatest athletes in the world — Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan — Maggie makes everyone else around her better.”  Stanford coach John Tanner speaking with a reporter from The Stanford Daily after Stanford won the 2017 NCAA championship:  “I’ve known (Maggie) since she was 10.  Maggie’s always been charismatic, energetic, enthusiastic, eternally optimistic  and incredibly skillful and passionate about competition.  All those things combine to make her the best leader I’ve ever been around.”  More from Tanner in 2017:  “Maggie’s brilliant in every phase of the game.  There’s nobody like her.  There hasn’t been either, in women’s water polo.  On the men’s side, you see some people have greatness in certain areas.  Maggie has every piece of the game wired.”  If Steffens continues playing, she is likely to play for the United States in the 2028 Olympics.  However, she deserves the top spot on my list even if she doesn’t play another game.  Once Steffens’ playing career is over, she will almost certainly be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

One of Maryland’s most anticipated traditions is back! The 57th Annual Maryland Seafood Festival will take place on Saturday, September 13, and Sunday, September 14, at Sandy Point State Park. This two-day celebration of local flavor, family fun, and Chesapeake Bay culture is a must-attend event to close out the summer.

Seafood lovers are in for a treat with over 50 seafood dishes to sample, including steamed crabs from Jimmy’s Famous Seafood (available by pre-order), an oyster and craft beer tasting area, and the ever-popular Crab Soup Cook-Off on Saturday. Sunday features the Naptown Sampler, plus all-new culinary excitement with chef demos and a World Food Championship Cookoff.

Live music will keep the energy high all weekend long with a full concert lineup, headlined by local favorite Jimmie’s Chicken Shack. Attendees can also take part in or watch classic contests like crab cake eating, crab picking, and oyster shucking—plus new additions like a blue catfish eating contest.

There’s plenty beyond the food, too. Explore the Chesapeake Arts Village, tour a skipjack during Saturday’s Heritage Days, and watch a real skipjack race on Sunday. Kids will love the activity zones and the brand-new Mermaid and Pirate Parade, while the Sand Volleyball Tournament and 1K, 3K, and 6K Sand Run offer some friendly competition.

Early bird tickets are on sale now—use promo code “early20” for 20% off general admission while supplies last.

For full details, tickets, and event updates, visit: https://abceventsinc.com/maryland-seafood-festival/

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SEATTLE – Washington sophomore Decker DeGraaf has been named to the preseason watch list for the John Mackey Award, presented to the nation’s best tight end in college football.
 
DeGraaf is one of 45 tight ends on the list including 12 from the Big Ten Conference.
 
As a true freshman, DeGraaf appeared in all 13 games while starting in five. DeGraaf caught 15 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns. In his first collegiate snap, DeGraaf caught a 33-yard touchdown pass versus Weber State. In the following game, he had a career-long 41-yard reception against Eastern Michigan. He earned freshman all-american first team honors by Pro Football Focus, College Football Network and 247Sports and freshman tight end of the year by College Football Network.
 
The John Mackey Award was established in 2000 by the Nassau County Sports Commission. The recipient of the award will be presented at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Friday, December 12th on ESPN.
 
Washington Preseason Watch Lists
Maxwell Award – Jonah Coleman, Demond Williams Jr.
Butkus Award – Taariq “Buddah” Al-Uqdah
Wuerffel Trophy – Zach Durfee
Doak Walker Award – Jonah Coleman
Biletnikoff Award – Denzel Boston
John Mackey Award – Decker DeGraaf
 

Megha Ganne is challenged by Brooke Biermann on Sunday in the finals of the 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.

It took 19 holes in the semifinals for both competitors to earn their way into the championship match of the 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur tournament. Megha Ganne made it to the finals as the No. 11 seed and the highest-ranked player left in the tournament. She will take on the No. 41 seed, Brooke Biermann, who upset two top-10 seeds in her journey. Biermann will have to pull off another upset to become the 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion. This is just the third time in the last 10 years that the finals of this event feature two players from the United States.

How to Watch Championship Match Today:

Date: Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025

Time: 7:00 p.m. ET

TV: The Golf Channel

Location: Bandon Dunes Golf Resort

Live stream Championship Match on Fubo: Start watching now!

Ganne is from Holmdel, New Jersey and holds four amateur tournament wins. She punched her ticket to the championship match after trailing by three strokes heading into the 12th hole against Ella Scaysbrook. She closed out the final eight holes with five birdies to pull off the comeback.

Biermann faced off against a fellow Missouri native in the semifinals, where she also needed 19 holes to earn the win. She blew a three-stroke lead through 15 holes, but with a par on the 19th hole, she was able to survive the semifinals.

Over the years, this tournament has been a launchpad for future stars in women’s golf. Rose Zhang, Lydia Ko, and Danielle Kang (twice) have all won this event since 2010 and have gone on to great success in both college and the LPGA Tour.

What Time Is the 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship Match On?

The Championship Match will take place on Sunday, August 10, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. ET. Tune in and catch some great golf action.

What Channel Is the 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship Match On?

Looking to watch this match? Fans can tune into The Golf Channel to see the action. Make sure you subscribe to Fubo now to watch this matchup, as well as numerous other sports leagues.

Live stream Championship Match on Fubo: Start watching now!

Regional restrictions may apply.

Margie Maccoll

It was 45 years too late and “too bloody cold” in Canberra for Noosa-born Olympic boxer Benny Pike but it was a chance for him to catch up with friends when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley last week welcomed home the Australian team that competed at the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

Benny was one of 121 Australian athletes who went to the Moscow against the government’s demands to boycott the Games in protest at the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.

Many athletes paid a high personal price, including those who were prevented by their sporting federations from attending but the courage of those who went may have helped safeguard future athletes from political interference and though snubbed since they were formally acknowledged last week.

Sitting in the stands looking down on the speeches Benny said what struck him was that they “never said sorry” for the treatment they received.

“Looking back, it is little wonder that many still bear scars from those days,” the Prime Minister said.

“That only makes the efforts and success of the Australian team at those Games all the more extraordinary. Australia won nine medals, including gold for Michelle Ford in the women’s 800m freestyle and gold in the men’s 4 x 100m medley.

“On this 45th anniversary we recognise all you have achieved – and acknowledge all you have overcome.”

Benny said the reunion for him was the most important part of the event and the dinner that night “was terrific”.

Benny Pike was one of two Sunshine Coast Olympians to attend the Moscow Olympics along with water polo player Julian Muspratt.

He said prior to leaving for the Games there had been a few awkward conversations.

“The government didn’t want us to go. I got a call from the president of Australian boxing who said do you want to go. I said yes. He said fine. Three weeks later we left.”

Benny said athletes found out they had made the Olympic team when their details were published in a column in the Sunday Mail sport section.

“There was no big story,” he said.

He felt he had earned his place at the Olympics having won Gold in the Presidents Cup in Jakarta and silver in the Kings Cup in Bangkok as well as attending the Commonwealth Games, the World Championships in Belgrade and the World Cup in Madison Square Gardens in the lead up to the event.

“I was psyched up to go to the Olympics,” he said.

“In Moscow it was fabulous. People were very kind.”

Benny said athletes were hosted to an event at the Australian Embassy in Moscow but they were not allowed to march behind the Australian flag at the Games.

On his return to Australia Benny said there was no official welcome home for returning athletes.

At the time Benny decided “that’s not good enough, we have to do something more” so he acted, initiating Sunshine Coast welcome home celebrations which began in 1984 when five Sunshine Coast athletes were welcomed home.

After 40 years of welcoming home Olympic athletes Benny was at last year’s event to welcome home Sunshine Coast’s Paris Olympic and Paralympic athletes, presented with a special award.

Benny said the Sunshine Coast was the first region to welcome home its Olympic and Paralympic athletes in 1984 and it’d “been a pleasure to be involved”.

As preparations are underway for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics Benny believes organisers should be listening more to the opinions of the many former Olympians and Paralympians living on the Sunshine Coast.

A year after Moscow the International Olympic Committee (IOC) asked a select group of high-profile athletes that included Australian swimmer Michelle Ford to address the 1981 congress. It was the first time athletes were allowed to address the world’s most powerful sporting body, enabling them to have a voice and be heard.

By: Ray Fisher


Sunday, August 10, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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The Foxes proved to be champions at the third annual Queens of the ‘Burgh girls volleyball tournament.

“This was our best year yet,” said Avonworth coach John Skarupa, who founded the event. “We had seven teams, 64 players. There were 37 high schools and 10 clubs represented. It was a great weekend that is meant to elevate Pittsburgh volleyball regardless of where you play.

“I’m excited to celebrate the third year of Queens of the ‘Burgh, an idea that blossomed into what I truly believe is the highlight of the year for girls volleyball. High school, club and recruiting can create immense pressure for these young women, and Queens was designed to break free from that stress — shining a spotlight on the extraordinary talent in our region while creating a positive and empowering environment through competition.”

The championship match Aug. 2 at All-American Field House in Monroeville featured the No. 4 Foxes against the No. 6 Cavaliers.

The Foxes earned a thrilling 28-26 victory, but the Cavs fought back the entire game. They were down 16-8 and rallied to take a late lead. The Foxes then slyly pulled away at the end.

“We did a round robin pool play format and then went into the playoff bracket,” Skarupa said. “We had amazing refs from the local chapter who did an excellent job.

“We also had numerous coaches show up for recruiting and many more who are checking out our footage. We record and stat every match through the Hudl/Balltime platform.”

The Foxes were led by St. Joseph senior Kate Giannetta, a 5-foot-7 setter who landed her team’s Most Valuable Queen award.

Other players for the Foxes were Eden Christian Academy’s Ava Arnold, a 5-9 outside hitter, South Fayette’s Kylee Partridge, a 5-4 defensive specialist, Butler’s Ashlan Tosadori, a 5-11 middle hitter, Hopewell’s Mikayla Kurta, a 6-1 middle hitter, Morgantown’s Kelly Ryan, a 5-10 right-side hitter, North Allegheny’s Alicia Mokube, a 5-10 middle hitter, Beaver’s Aubrey Bumblis, a 5-8 defensive specialist, and Mars’ Rylee Wooldridge, a 5-8 outside hitter,

Elena Arnold, Ava’s older sister, coached the championship squad, one of four teams that posted 2-4 records in round robin play. The Knights finished first with a 6-0 mark.

“I am so proud of the group of girls I had the chance to coach,” Arnold said. “We started off the day not so hot, going 0-3 to open pool play. I kept reminding the girls to view these moments not as disappointments but moments we can learn from. Since every team made the playoffs, we had no stress.

“The girls really started to click in the fourth game, and we won that one decidedly as well as the fifth. These girls looked like they had been playing together for months when the truth was, I drafted them together just the night before. We lost our sixth game to the undefeated No. 1 seed, the Knights, coached by Laney Wilson, my good friend and former roommate.”

Pool play began for the Foxes with a rematch against the Princesses, who defeated Arnold’s squad in the first match of the day.

“I really saw the team light up with a different energy this game,” Arnold said. “I had been coaching them all day to find the right balance of confidence without cockiness — knowing you’re talented and ready to show it but still respecting your opponent and seeking to be better. We then won out the rest of the day, defeating the Princesses and Knights for the first time and finally the Cavaliers in the championship in a nail-biter.

“I think what truly brought us to win was the humility and willingness to grow from each girl. Those nine girls are not just great athletes; they are great people. I knew I wanted to draft and coach a team of young women who are great sports and respectful to all they interact with. And those traits allowed them to connect with one another, trust the process and eventually win it all.”

Arnold, who is 21 and graduated from Eden Christian in 2022, started her collegiate volleyball career at Saint Francis. She transferred to Rollins College, where she is a 6-1 junior right-side hitter.

At Eden, she was a four-year varsity letter winner, two-time all-WPIAL second-team selection and three-time first-team all-section pick. She also was an AAU Academic All-American and an Under Armour All-American nominee.

“It was awesome for me to have some connections to the girls on my team, such as having my sister Ava as one of my players,” Arnold said. “Also, Kate Giannetta, who was our setter and tournament MVP, plays at a high school I used to play in section, and it is always fun for me to see big talent coming out of small single-A schools because we have to work so much harder to be noticed.

“This experience really solidified my love for coaching this sport. It is something I’ve always considered but now it gives me excitement to explore the other side of the game once I graduate.”

The Cavaliers were sparked in the two-event by Shaler’s Teagan Orga, a 5-6 defensive specialist who was chosen as her team’s Most Valuable Queen.

Other squad members were Bella Hoffman, a 5-8 setter and also from Shaler, Upper St. Clair’s Hayden Culp, a 6-foot outside hitter, Butler’s Brynn Cornibe, a 6-1 middle hitter, Southmore­land’s Ainsley Martin, a 5-3 defensive specialist, Baldwin’s Ashley Skowronski, a 5-4 defensive specialist, North Catholic’s Mikaila Measel, a 6-foot outside hitter, Neshannock’s Rian Owens, a 5-9 setter, and Pine-Richland’s Olivia Moye, a 6-foot middle hitter.

Orga and Moye are rising juniors; all the others are seniors.

Mailea Hufnagel, a Peters Township product and a sophomore at UVA Wise, coached the Cavs to the runner-up finish.

Hufnagel is a 5-10 outside/right-side hitter at UVA Wise. She was a four-year letter winner in high school and was named all-state as well as to the WPIAL Class 4A and Big 56 Conference first teams. She also was a first team all-section selection.

Other MVQ’s in the tournament included Shaler senior Octavia Dixon, a 5-9 OH for the Peacocks, North Allegheny junior Luana Tripon, a 5-7 OH for the Hawks, Mars senior Cece Christy, a 6-1 MH for the Knights, Ringgold senior McKenna Adams, a 5-8 OH for the Eagles, and Beaver sophomore Kayden Blinn, a 5-9 setter/right-side hitter for the Princesses.

Along with Arnold and Hufnagel, the tournament’s coaches were Danielle Caligiuri (Montour/Saint Peters) for the Peacocks, Brooke Sciullo (North Catholic/Clarion) for the Eagles, Kyra Schmidt (North Allegheny/IUP) for the Hawks, Laney Wilson (Albert Gallatin/Saint Francis) for the Knights and Bria Stepp (Seneca Valley/West Chester) for the Princesses.

North Catholic coach Amanda Fetter served as event director of the tournament.

“Queens wouldn’t be what it is today without the unwavering dedication of Amanda Fetter, who has been instrumental since its inception,” Skarupa said, “and Tyler Szymanski, who has built bridges to connect athletes and areas across the region.

“Add to that the phenomenal support from countless club and high school coaches I’m fortunate to call friends.”

Queens of the ‘Burgh was started in 2023 with 32 athletes and has doubled to 64 in 2025.

The 55 players in last year’s tournament earned 44 all-section awards, 31 all-WPIAL honors, 12 all-PIAA accolades and 13 WPIAL or PIAA titles.

Premier Wealth Partners was the official sponsor of the Queens of the ‘Burgh combine/draft
party.

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